THE Education Authority (EA) has launched an investigation after a four-year-old autistic boy was left alone on a school bus for four hours.
Ryan Calvert was left on the private bus hired by the EA on Wednesday, February 19.
His father John said he had left his son as usual to the bus close to the family's home on Dawson Green in Portadown, Co Armagh.
The four-year-old, who attends Edenderry Primary School's Learning Support Centre, did not arrive until noon.
Mr Calvert (46) said he and his wife Gillian were "shocked" when told by the school. Ryan, who has difficulties with his speech, could not explain what happened.
"I don't know how they managed to forget about Ryan on the bus," he told the News Letter.
"Surely even the bus driver would have seen him in his rear view mirror."
Mr Calvert said an escort is supposed to be on the bus with the children.
"It is just terrible that he was sitting there alone for all that time," he said.
"He had a wee bit of Lego in his bag and played with it."
Mr Calvert said he has made a report to police.
Edenderry School principal Stephen Doyle said the school was "very concerned" about what happened and asked the EA to investigate.
A spokeswoman for the EA confirmed it is investigating but would make no further comment at this stage.
DUP assembly member Jonathan Buckley said the Calvert family "deserve answers".
In July last year, an eight-year-old boy with autism was left on a bus at an Education Authority depot in Killyclogher, Co Tyrone, for four hours.
The child, who was due to attend a summer scheme at Arvalee school, was strapped in the bus and only discovered when a depot worker walked past.
At the time, the EA said its investigation "will determine what additional measures may be required to ensure an incident of this nature does not happen again".
In November 2015, a 17-year-old girl with disabilities was left alone on a school bus for almost three hours.
Sophie Kerr, from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, who is mute and uses a wheelchair, was left after both a bus driver and special needs escort failed to take her to Willowbridge Special School.